Fernandina

We like it here and there’s so much more to see including the beaches, Fort Clinch State Park and historic sites.

Fernandina Beach is a town on Amelia Island. The island is 13 miles long and 4 miles wide. It’s colonial history is long and it is claimed it has had 8 different flags flying over it. Cruising by on our way to the marina, we could see Fort Clinch on the northern end of the island. Our original plan was to stay in an anchorage at the edge of Fort Clinch State Park and view what they call “history meets nature”. However, we learned this area is closed for Army Corps of Engineering maintenance and dredging. Apparently, you can tour the Fort and then explore the surrounding nature trails by bike or hike. Another reason to come back.

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We opted to stay in the Marina at the town of Fernandina Beach. Close to the historic town, but too far to walk out to the Fort and the shuttle service does not run on the days we are here.

We spent part of the first day here finishing putting the boat together. We put up the 3 canvas bimini tops, inflated the dinghy and cleaned the boatyard dust off the decks. Adding the cockpit cushions and we were ready to sip a few beers and watch the sunset.

Tuesday, January 25

We walked around, a lot. The architecture in this town is simply amazing. Around every corner is a beautiful, historic home or business. The wood porches and porticos were unique and wonderful. Where else have you seen carousel horses as part of a porch rail!

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We stopped in the Palace Saloon, Florida’s oldest saloon, operating since 1903. Hmmm, doesn’t Captain Tony’s in Key West also claim that title?? The Palace survived prohibition by operating as an ice cream parlor. The beautiful wood bar had twin, wood carved, figurehead ladies “caryatids” (undraped female figures) which seem to go with the story of the brothels that apparently filled the waterfront during the beginning of this town’s lumber and fishing industries.

Between 1880 and 1910, Fernandina docks were among the busiest in the south. In its heyday, there were ships from the far corners of the globe. At that time, there were over 20 saloons in the area but only The Palace was known as the “ship captains bar”. Apparently, at times, you could get across the river by hopping from ship to ship. The wooden bar was donated to The Palace Saloon by Adolphus Busch, of the famous brewing company. It had been used during the worlds fair held in St. Louis. The bar still has its original tile floors, tin ceilings and gas lamps. A fire in the 90’s wreaked havoc on the wood bar and the current innkeeper said the person who restored the upper part of the back bar should be horse whipped. We thought it all was very “divey.” Not a bad thing.

“Still Foolish” is the beautiful, blue Viking 70’ Sports Fisher docked in front of us. There is a permanent crew of two captains who maintain the boat and then Captain it when it goes out onto the water. The marina deckhands here told us the boat is used quite frequently by the family. She is a beauty. She also has an interesting history.

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Her predecessor was called “Foolish Pleasure”. In March of 2020, returning to Fernando Beach, she hit the Fort Clinch jetty causing a 6’ gash in the hull. The crew was rescued by the Sheriff’s Dept. but at high tide, the boat sunk. The current name, “Still Foolish” is pretty ironic thinking the new boat probably cost around 4 million!!

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We have enjoyed beautiful, sunny warm weather but all that changed yesterday afternoon. We were coming back from lunch at T. Ray’s Burger Station, a hamburger joint recommended to us by our friends Connie and Greg. Of course, another story….

Big Ray, ran the Standard Oil full service filling station in 1972 on Fernandina Beach. His son, T Ray worked at local eateries on the island and was a lifeguard but agreed with his father that he should learn the family business running the station. The way we heard it was that T. Ray would rather surf than anything but also had a dream of owning a restaurant. T Ray’s began making sandwiches and grilling burgers at the station. Slowly, the station made a transformation into T Ray’s Burger Station. Their slogan was “eat here and get gas!”

We had a couple wonderful burgers outside at the restaurant, that still looks just like a gas station on the outside. On our way back, all of a sudden, we felt a cold wind. Brrrrr. The temperature had dropped at least 15° by the time we got back to the boat. We battened down the hatches just in time for the wind and rain to begin. Boy did it rain. OK the last of the boat yard dust is now off the boat. In looking at the forecast, the wind of 20 knots was not going to subside until the next afternoon. Our plan to leave in the morning was dashed. We will spend another night at Fernandina, which ain’t all bad…